Incheon, South Korea – Residents of Incheon are facing increasing financial burdens as the city's toll road network continues to expand. Despite numerous calls for toll reductions, particularly for the aging Gyeongin Expressway, the city is set to add six new toll roads to its existing eight, leading to higher transportation costs for commuters.

Currently, Incheon has eight toll roads, including six privately-owned and two government-operated highways. The city is planning to construct six more toll roads by 2034, which will further increase the number of toll gates that drivers must pass through.

One of the most contentious issues is the Gyeongin Expressway, which has been in operation since 1968 and has collected over ₩1.47 trillion in tolls. Despite the fact that the construction cost of the expressway was only ₩272 billion, the government has continued to collect tolls due to a policy known as the "unified accounting system," which allows for the collection of tolls on roads that have already paid for themselves in order to fund new construction projects.

Residents and local politicians have been calling for the abolition of tolls on the Gyeongin Expressway, arguing that it has outlived its usefulness and is no longer justified. However, the government has been reluctant to eliminate the tolls, citing the need to fund future infrastructure projects.

Other toll roads in Incheon, such as the Incheon Bridge and the Third Gyeongin Expressway, are also set to continue collecting tolls for several more decades. This has led to growing frustration among residents, who feel that they are being unfairly burdened by high transportation costs.

[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]